About

BACKSTORY:

The Pontiac Silverdome – the most iconic location for football and entertainment in Michigan and once the largest indoor stadium in the entire world. Home of the Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, Super Bowl XVI, Wrestlemania III, the 1994 World Cup, along with concerts by Led Zeppelin & The Who, and even a Mass with Pope John Paul II...and now a feature-length film that tells the story of the downward spiral of a fictional quarterback from the USFL Panthers – the only team to ever win a championship in the Silverdome.

THE FILM IS SHOT AND IN THE CAN! We had a professional crew, cinema-quality cameras, Hollywood talent, and the most amazing visual backdrop any movie could ever ask for:

The Silverdome (Present-Day)

WHAT WE NEED:

Getting a movie shot is the most difficult phase, but it still requires professional skill for post-production. We are using our connections to get really good people at very reasonable rates, but there are still costs for things like:

Cinema-quality Editor

Sound Mixing

Sound FX

Color Correction / Color Grading

Film Titles and Credits

All of these elements are vital to maintaining and even enhancing the professional look captured on-set.

We know there are a ton of people out there that love the Silverdome and would jump at an opportunity to support a project whose story is intertwined with the history of metro Detroit – chaos, beauty, memories, and most of all, fighting to hold on to your identity in the midst of struggle.

"Silverdome" scene in an old Suite

Check out all the details of our film below. You'll see we've already had amazing success in attaching great talent & crew to a beautiful story. Hopefully it will compel you to join us in bringing this film to the Big Screen. We would be grateful for any support you can give, and best of all for you, there’s some really cool swag for partnering with us on this journey!

REWARDS:

A lot of Kickstarter campaigns have things they include as rewards without much value, but by supporting us you can actually own a piece of history. We have a variety of real items from the Silverdome as part of our reward tiers. They're all 100% authentic and with the Dome being demolished soon it could be one of your last chances to own a part of the iconic stadium.

You'll see we have everything from old parking passes:

Playoff Parking Passes

To classic Christmas Cards from the Dome:

Christmas Cards from the Dome

And programs from one of the last public events to ever take place at the Silverdome - the Welterweight Superfight of Alexander vs. Bradley:

Official Boxing Program

But best of all, we have authentic pieces of the Silverdome itself, including one-of-a-kind autographed memorabilia like a piece of the roof signed by our Cast & Crew:

Signed Silverdome Tarp

And for the ultimate treasure, we have seat-backs from the Silverdome itself, including a couple of #20's signed by one of the most famous Lions in history, Billy Sims:

Billy Sims signed Seat-Back

STORY ORIGINS:

In the 1980s and 90s, Silverdome lead actor Glenn Pakulak and producer Chris Regner grew up in metro Detroit attending Detroit Lions and Pistons games at the Pontiac Silverdome with their fathers. Silverdome screenwriter Ted Kluck had similar experiences in huge college and pro stadiums with his dad.

Glenn Pakulak with his Dad

Pakulak went on to play at the University of Kentucky and then later in the NFL. Kluck played at the small college level before bouncing around in Europe, low-rent arena leagues, and semi-pro football well into his late-thirties. Chris' sports experience was limited to Club Hockey in college, but he always loved the thrill of competitive, physical sports and can vividly recall what it was like to be in the Silverdome for the electric Monday Night Football game of Lions vs. Raiders (Barry vs. Bo) in 1990.

Though they wouldn’t meet until much later, they shared a love of vintage stadiums and unique football experiences, and they all lived through the brutality of saying goodbye to the game(s) they loved. Silverdome is the story of a special place – shared between fathers and sons. It’s a place that is currently in abandoned disrepair and is slated for demolition. Ted decided he wanted to write a screenplay to honor the building one last time by telling a story of football and relational reconciliation that would unfold inside its crumbling walls.

CAST:

GLENN PAKULAK plays 'Jack Franco', an ex-quarterback in middle-age, whose best days were spent in the Silverdome playing for the USFL’s Michigan Panthers. Franco leaves his suburban life and family behind to go to the only place he ever felt whole.

Pakulak was a natural fit for the role and drew deeply from his time as a First Team All-American punter at the University of Kentucky (after coming in as a walk-on) before playing with several NFL franchises including the New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders. Pakulak had been living and acting in Los Angeles before relocating to Detroit to begin pre-production on Silverdome.

“I got chills the first time I read Ted's script because I felt like someone was telling the story of my life, and of the lives of so many former players,” Pakulak said. “It was such a beautiful, simple story of crisis and reconciliation, set in a place that is meaningful for so many Michigan residents.”

Glenn Pakulak in "Silverdome"

Franco’s wife, 'Carmen' (portrayed by CARMEN SERANO), finds her broken husband in the Dome, and sets about the hard work of understanding his pain and loving him through it.

Serano's captivating performance and professional demeanor on set were an extension of an acting background which includes a 20-year career in film and television, most notably known for her portrayal as Principal Carmen Molina in AMC’s "Breaking Bad". A recurring character on the show, she was a pivotal part of the story of Walter White’s transformation from reclusive chemistry teacher to the notorious Heisenberg. In addition to "Breaking Bad" Serano has appeared in Hollywood hits like, Next Friday, The Flock, opposite Richard Gere and Claire Danes and a starring role in Sony’s cult favorite, Urban Justice, with Steven Seagal.

Carmen currently tours as a public speaker/advocate for sexual assault survivors, and is working on the manuscript for her upcoming memoir, ‘Worthless'.

Starring in the role of Jack and Carmen Franco's son, 'Alex', is SAG member FRANCISCO POSADA, a young actor who is quickly getting noticed on A-list shows like "Chicago Fire" and a recurring role on "Empire", despite only being 23 years old. In addition to his feature role on Silverdome, Posada can be recognized as 'Blue Beetle' in the smash-hit video game "Injustice 2".

CREATIVE TALENT:

SCREENWRITER - TED KLUCK: winner of a Michigan Notable Book award in 2008 for his football memoir, Paper Tiger: One Athlete's Journey to the Underbelly of Pro Football. He has authored books on topics ranging from Mike Tyson to the evangelical church, and his journalism has appeared in ESPN the Magazine, Christianity Today and many other outlets.

Ted Kluck (standing), with crew members Joe Parisi (front) and Kate Ragon (back) on the set of "Silverdome" (Photo Credit: Erin Bartels).

DIRECTOR - TRAVIS ANDREWS - An industry veteran that has worked as a director of photography for the past 10 years in broadcast television, Travis' specialty with Reality and Documentary genres was a huge asset to the fast-paced production of Silverdome. His expertise in cinema-verite style shooting gave the film a gritty realism sure to captivate audiences.

Director Travis Andrews (right) and crew member Jacques Royal (left) work on the shot (Photo Credit: Erin Bartels).

PRODUCER - CHRIS REGNER - Having grown up a mere 5 miles from the Pontiac Silverdome, some of Chris' earliest memories from his youth are things like his brother taking him to watch Billy Sims mesmerize the crowd and Barry Sanders slip tackle after tackle on the Silverdome turf. Long drawn to the moving-image, Chris spent several years in Hollywood working on sets of music videos, commercials and movies alongside stars like Steve Guttenberg, John Laroquette, and Jonah Hill. Upon returning to metro Detroit Chris became a cameraman for a local news station before starting his own production company.

Chris (3rd from Right) pictured with the fabulous Cast & Crew of "Silverdome"

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - KLIFF KINGSBURY - Currently the head coach of Texas Tech University's football team, Kliff is one of the most decorated NCAA quarterbacks of all-time. He holds multiple NCAA records for passing as QB for the Red Raiders and now runs one of the most innovative offenses in college football. As a QB in the NFL for several years Kliff was drawn to the Silverdome story and used his experiences and knowledge of the game to help advise the film in many capacities.

Kliff Kingsbury

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - BRETT HARTMANN - Former NFL Punter and Kickoff Specialist, Brett has ties to the area from his days playing for Central Michigan University, and played in the Motor City Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. Brett was originally signed and then played for the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2011. Brett's connections in Michigan and long-time friendship with Glenn Pakulak were a huge asset to the film.

Brett Hartmann with the Houston Texans

STRETCH GOALS:

If we are successful in reaching our initial goals for the Kickstarter campaign, there are additional enhancements we can add to the film which will really take it to another level including:

Authentic USFL Game Footage

Custom Musical Score

Original Music for Soundtrack

Visual FX for Key Scenes

THANK YOU!!!

From the entire production team, thank you in advance for helping us complete this true-to-life tale of love, struggle, and the beauty of sacrificing for memories that are worth preserving...

Risks and challenges

As the saying goes, "It's show-business, not show-art". With any film there is inherent risk that a number of factors can become an obstacle to release of the film. Thankfully we've already navigated our way around the gigantic hurdles of production, but challenges remain with finding the perfect team for the edit, publicizing the film, and securing distribution. The more successful we are with the Kickstarter campaign the easier it will be to solve any issues that arise.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

Cast & Crew Signed Roof + PA Credit

A piece of the Silverdome roof signed by all the members of the Cast & Crew of the film (including you).

Not only do you get a piece of the Dome and the Film, we're so grateful for your support we think you should go ahead and sign it once you get it, and we'll add your name to the credits as a Production Assistant. Of course we'll also send you a digital copy of the film once it's released so you can see your name scroll by...

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,000 or more
About $2,000

Associate Producer Credit

Have your name appear on the Big Screen as an Associate Producer for "Silverdome".

As a part of the production team, you'll also receive a print of the movie poster, a piece of the Silverdome roof, and a parking stub to display at home, plus a digital download of the film upon release.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,500 or more
About $2,500

Lead Actors Signed Seat-Back

Glenn Pakulak and Carmen Serano personally signed 5 seat backs on the set of "Silverdome" for their biggest fans.

As an additional brush with celebrity, you'll also receive a personal phone call from one of the actors thanking you for your contribution, and recognition in the credits of the film, plus your own digital copy.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

Silverdome Producer Package

Reserved for only the biggest backers, a donation on this level entitles you to become a full-fledged producer on "Silverdome".

Your name will appear above-the-line in the credits and movie poster, and you'll receive all sorts of swag from the film including a seat back, movie poster, piece of the roof, digital download of the movie, a parking stub, plus personal calls from the rest of the producing team.

Best of all, we'll even hold a seat for you at one of the film festivals "Silverdome" is screened at.